Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001

i Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 Act No. 20/2001 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Section Page PART 1—PRELIMINARY 1 1. Purpose 1 2. Commencement 2 3. Definitions 2 PART 2—ESTABLISHMENT, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE COLLEGE 3 4. Establishment of the College 3 5. Functions of the College 3 6. Powers of the College 4 7. Delegation 5 PART 3—MANAGEMENT AND PROCEDURE OF THE COLLEGE 6 8. Board of directors 6 9. Terms and conditions of office of directors 7 10. Payment of appointed directors 7 11. Vacancies and removal of appointed directors from office 7 12. Alternate directors 8 13. Validity of acts or decisions 9 14. Meetings of the Board 10 15. Committees 10 16. Staff 11 17. Appointment of consultants 11 PART 4—MISCELLANEOUS 12 18. Control on expenditure 12 19. Parliamentary requirement for information 12 20. Regulations 12 ═══════════════ ENDNOTES 13 -- 1 of 16 -- Section Page ii INDEX 14 -- 2 of 16 -- 1 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001† [Assented to 29 May 2001] The Parliament of Victoria enacts as follows: PART 1—PRELIMINARY 1. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to establish the Judicial College of Victoria with the function of assisting the professional development of judicial officers and providing continuing education and training for judicial officers. Victoria No. 20 of 2001 -- 3 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 2 2. Commencement (1) Subject to sub-section (2), this Act comes into operation on a day or days to be proclaimed. (2) If a provision of this Act does not come into operation before 1 February 2002, it comes into operation on that day. 3. Definitions In this Act— "appointed director" means a director appointed under section 8(1)(e); "Board" means board of directors of the College; "chairperson" means chairperson of the Board; "College" means Judicial College of Victoria established under section 4; "director" means chairperson or other director of the College; "judicial officer" means— (a) a Judge or Master of the Supreme Court; or (b) a judge or master of the County Court; or (c) a magistrate of the Magistrates' Court or the Children's Court; or (d) a coroner within the meaning of the Coroners Act 1985; or (e) a member of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. _______________ s. 2 -- 4 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 3 PART 2—ESTABLISHMENT, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE COLLEGE 4. Establishment of the College (1) The Judicial College of Victoria is established by this Act. (2) The College— (a) is a body corporate with perpetual succession; (b) has an official seal; (c) may sue and be sued in its corporate name; (d) subject to section 6, may acquire, hold and dispose of personal property; (e) subject to section 6, may do and suffer all acts and things that a body corporate may by law do and suffer. (3) All courts must take judicial notice of the official seal of the College affixed to a document and, until the contrary is proved, must presume that it was duly affixed. (4) The official seal of the College must be kept in such custody as the College directs and must not be used except as authorised by it. 5. Functions of the College (1) The functions of the College are— (a) to assist in the professional development of judicial officers; (b) to provide continuing education and training for judicial officers; s. 4 -- 5 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 4 (c) to produce relevant publications; (d) to provide (on a fee for service basis) professional development services, or continuing judicial education and training services, to persons who are not judicial officers within the meaning of this Act; (e) to liaise with persons and organisations in connection with the performance of any of its functions. (2) In performing its functions under sub-section (1)(a), (b) and (c), the College must— (a) consult with judicial officers about the nature and extent of the College's professional development activities and continuing education and training activities; (b) have regard to the differing needs of different classes of judicial officers and give particular attention to the training of newly appointed judicial officers; (c) have regard to any other matters that appear to the College to be relevant. (3) The College may perform its functions, and exercise its powers, within or outside Victoria. 6. Powers of the College (1) Subject to sub-sections (2) and (3), the College has power to do all things necessary or convenient to be done for, or in connection with, performing its functions. (2) The College does not have power to acquire, hold or dispose of real property. s. 6 -- 6 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 5 (3) The College must not, without the prior written approval of the Attorney-General— (a) acquire any personal property, right or privilege for a consideration of more than $50 000 or any higher amount prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph; or (b) dispose of any personal property, right or privilege that has a value, or for a consideration, of more than $50 000 or any higher amount prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph. 7. Delegation The College, by instrument under its official seal, may delegate to— (a) a director; or (b) the chief executive officer of the College; or (c) an employee referred to in section 16(2); or (d) the members of a committee established under section 15— any function or power of the corporation, other than this power of delegation. _______________ s. 7 -- 7 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 6 PART 3—MANAGEMENT AND PROCEDURE OF THE COLLEGE 8. Board of directors (1) There shall be a board of directors of the College consisting of 6 directors of whom— (a) one is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or another Judge or a Master of that Court nominated by the Chief Justice, who is to be the chairperson; and (b) one is the President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal or another member of that Tribunal nominated by the President; and (c) one is the Chief Judge of the County Court or another judge or a master of that Court nominated by the Chief Judge; and (d) one is the Chief Magistrate or another magistrate nominated by the Chief Magistrate; and (e) 2 are persons appointed by the Governor in Council on the nomination of the Attorney- General of whom— (i) one must have experience as a member of the academic staff of a tertiary or other educational institution; and (ii) one must be a person who, in the opinion of the Attorney-General, has broad experience in community issues affecting courts. s. 8 -- 8 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 7 (2) The Board— (a) is responsible for the management of the affairs of the College; and (b) may exercise the powers of the College. 9. Terms and conditions of office of directors (1) An appointed director holds office— (a) subject to section 11, for the term (not exceeding 5 years) that is specified in his or her instrument of appointment, and is eligible for re-appointment; and (b) on any other terms and conditions, not inconsistent with this Act, that are specified in his or her instrument of appointment. (2) The Public Sector Management and Employment Act 1998 does not apply to a director in respect of the office of director. (3) Service by a judge, master or magistrate as a director of the College must be taken to be service as a judge, master or magistrate, as the case requires. 10. Payment of appointed directors An appointed director is entitled to be paid the remuneration and allowances that are specified in his or her instrument of appointment or are fixed from time to time in respect of him or her by the Governor in Council. 11. Vacancies and removal of appointed directors from office (1) An appointed director's office becomes vacant— (a) on the expiry of his or her term of office; or (b) if he or she resigns from office under sub- section (3); or s. 9 -- 9 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 8 (c) if he or she is removed from office under sub-section (4); or (d) if he or she is convicted of an indictable offence or an offence that, if committed in Victoria, would be an indictable offence; or (e) if he or she, without the Attorney-General's approval, fails to attend 3 consecutive meetings of the Board. (2) The office of a director, other than an appointed director, becomes vacant if he or she ceases to hold the judicial office that he or she held on becoming a director. (3) An appointed director may resign from office by writing delivered to the Governor in Council. (4) The Governor in Council may remove an appointed director from office if of the opinion that the director— (a) is guilty of improper conduct in carrying out the duties of his or her office; or (b) is mentally or physically incapable of carrying out satisfactorily the duties of his or her office; or (c) has failed to comply with any term or condition of appointment. 12. Alternate directors (1) A director, other than an appointed director, may, with the approval of the Board, appoint another judicial officer (from the same court or tribunal as him or her) to be an alternate director. (2) The Governor in Council may, on the nomination of the Attorney-General, appoint another person (qualified for appointment under section 8(1)(e)) to be an alternate director of an appointed director. s. 12 -- 10 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 9 (3) If a director is absent from duty or is, for any reason, unable to attend a meeting of the Board or perform any other duty of the office of director, his or her alternate— (a) may act in the place of the director; and (b) while so acting, has all the powers, and may perform all the functions and duties of the director and is to be taken to be a director. (4) An appointment of an alternate director is— (a) subject to sub-section (6), for the period (not exceeding 12 months) that is specified in his or her instrument of appointment; and (b) subject to any other terms and conditions, not inconsistent with this Act, that are specified in his or her instrument of appointment. (5) An alternate director is eligible for re- appointment. (6) The director or Governor in Council may at any time revoke the appointment of an alternate director appointed by him or her. 13. Validity of acts or decisions An act or decision of the Board is not invalid merely because of— (a) a defect or irregularity in, or in connection with, the appointment of a director or alternate director; or (b) a vacancy in the membership of the Board; or (c) the occasion for an alternate director acting in the place of a director not having arisen or having ceased. s. 13 -- 11 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 10 14. Meetings of the Board (1) The chairperson must convene as many meetings of the Board as he or she considers necessary for the efficient conduct of its affairs but must ensure that the Board meets at least once every 3 months. (2) The chairperson must preside at any meeting of the Board at which he or she is present. (3) If the chairperson is absent, a director elected by the directors present must preside. (4) The quorum for a meeting of the Board is 4 directors, including at least one appointed director. (5) A question arising at a meeting of the Board is determined by a majority of the votes of the directors present and voting on the question. (6) The person presiding has a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equality of votes on any question, a second or casting vote. (7) Subject to this Act, the Board may regulate its own procedure. 15. Committees (1) The College may establish committees to assist it in performing any of its functions. (2) It does not matter that any or all of the members of a committee are not directors. (3) Subject to any determination made by the College, the procedure for the calling of meetings of a committee and for the conduct of business at those meetings shall be determined by the committee. s. 14 -- 12 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 11 16. Staff (1) A chief executive officer of the College must be employed under Part 3 of the Public Sector Management and Employment Act 1998. (2) Subject to the College's budget, as many other employees as are necessary to enable the College to perform its functions may be employed under Part 3 of the Public Sector Management and Employment Act 1998. 17. Appointment of consultants (1) The College may engage persons with suitable qualifications and experience as consultants to the College either in an honorary capacity or for remuneration. (2) The remuneration of consultants shall be determined by the College having regard to its budget. _______________ s. 16 -- 13 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 12 PART 4—MISCELLANEOUS 18. Control on expenditure Money must only be spent by the College in defraying expenses incurred by it in performing its functions, including paying any remuneration, salaries or allowances payable to appointed directors, staff or consultants. 19. Parliamentary requirement for information (1) The College must comply with any information requirement lawfully made of it by a House of the Parliament or a Parliamentary Committee within the meaning of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1968. (2) In this section "information requirement" means a requirement to give information of a specified kind within a specified period relating to— (a) the performance by the College of its functions; or (b) the exercise by the College of its powers; or (c) the College's expenditure or proposed expenditure. 20. Regulations The Governor in Council may make regulations for or with respect to any matter or thing required or permitted to be prescribed or necessary to be prescribed to give effect to this Act. ═══════════════ s. 18 -- 14 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 13 ENDNOTES 1 † Minister's second reading speech— Legislative Assembly: 3 May 2001 Legislative Council: 22 May 2001 The long title for the Bill for this Act was "to establish the Judicial College of Victoria and define its functions and powers and for other purposes." Endnotes -- 15 of 16 -- Act No. 20/2001 Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 14 INDEX Subject Section Actcommencement 2 purpose 1 Appointed directors 3, 8–12 Attorney-General 8, 12 Chief Judge of the County Court 8 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court 8 Chief Magistrate 8 Consultants 17 Definitions 3 Expenditure 18, 19 Information requirements of Parliament 19 Judicial College of Victoria board of directors alternate directors 12 appointed directors 3, 8–12 chairperson 8, 14 constitution and powers 8 meetings and procedure 14 payment of appointed directors 10 terms and conditions of office 9 vacancies, resignations, removal from office 11 validity of acts or decisions 13 chief executive officer 16 committees 15 compliance with information requirements 19 consultants 17 delegation 7 establishment 4 expenditure 18, 19 functions 5, 19 limits on power to deal in property 6 powers 6, 19 staff 16 Judicial officers as directors of Board 8, 9, 12 College's functions regarding 5 definition 3 Regulations 20 Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal President 8 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– -- 16 of 16 --